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Snickers Cheesecake

1 cup chocolate chips


24 chocolate wafer cookies, finely ground, about 1 1/2 cups

1/4 cup margarine, melted

2 Tbs. dry roasted peanuts, chopped

1 Tbs. plus 3/4 cup sugar, divided

3 pkgs. (8oz.) cream cheese at room temperature

3 Tbs. flour

3 eggs

2 egg yolks

1 cup sour cream, divided

5 Snickers Bars, 2 oz. each, cut crosswise into 1/4 inch thick slices and divided



Preheat oven to 350.



Coat 9 inch spring form pan with cooking spray. Wrap outside of pan with foil.



Place chocolate chips in a microwave safe container and microwave at MEDIUM (50 percent power) for 1 1/2 minutes, until the chocolate turns shiny. Remove the container from the microwave and stir the chocolate until completely melted. Set aside and keep warm.

Combine wafer cookies, margarine, and peanuts with 1 Tablespoon of sugar. Press into bottom of pan and 1/2 inch up sides of the pan. Refrigerate 10 minutes. Bake 5 minutes on 350 degrees F. Let cool.



In a bowl using a mixer at medium speed beat cream cheese until fluffy. Beat in flour and remaining sugar until combined. Beat in egg and yolks, 1 at a time.

Pour half of mixture into another bowl. With mixer on medium speed beat 1/4 cup sour cream and reserved chocolate into one of the batters.

Beat remaining sour cream into the other batter. Pour the white batter into crust and arrange Snicker slices over top. Pour chocolate batter on top.



Place in baking pan on oven rack; fill pan with water. Bake for 55 minutes. Turn oven off; let stand in oven for 1 hour. Remove pan from water and remove foil.



Cool on rack for 30 minutes; cool completely in refrigerator for 3 hours or overnight. Top with whip cream.

Cherry-Almond Upside-Down Cake

Ingredients


Topping

3 1/2 cups tart cherries, (about 1 1/4 pounds), pitted

2 tablespoons sugar

2 tablespoons kirsch, or brandy

1 tablespoon cornstarch

Cake

2/3 cup sifted cake flour

1/2 cup whole unblanched almonds, (3 ounces), toasted (see Tip)

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 large egg whites

2/3 cup sugar, divided

2 large eggs

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
 
Preparation


1.To make topping: Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat a 9-inch cake pan with cooking spray. Toss cherries with sugar, kirsch (or brandy) and cornstarch in a medium bowl. Spoon into the prepared pan, arranging the cherries in a single layer; set aside.

2.To make cake: Combine flour, almonds, baking powder and salt in a food processor or blender; process until the almonds are ground to a fine meal.

3.Beat egg whites in a large mixing bowl with an electric mixer until soft peaks form. Gradually beat in 1/3 cup sugar, continuing until stiff and glossy. Beat whole eggs and the remaining 1/3 cup sugar in a separate mixing bowl with an electric mixer until thickened and pale, about 5 minutes. Blend in vanilla.

4.Whisk one-quarter of the beaten egg whites into the whole-egg mixture. Sprinkle half of the flour mixture over the top and fold with a rubber spatula until just blended. Fold in the remaining beaten whites, then the remaining flour mixture.

5.Spread the batter over the cherries in the prepared pan and bake until the top springs back when touched lightly and a cake tester inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, about 30 minutes. Let cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then invert onto a cake plate. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Tips & Notes

Tip: To toast whole nuts: Spread nuts on a baking sheet and bake at 350°F, stirring once, until fragrant, 7 to 9 minutes.

Nutrition

Per serving: 177 calories; 4 g fat (1 g sat, 2 g mono); 42 mg cholesterol; 30 g carbohydrates; 4 g protein; 1 g fiber; 147 mg sodium; 136 mg potassium.



2 Carbohydrate Serving



Exchanges: 2 other carbohydrate, 1 fat

Chocolate Refrigerator Cookies

Refrigerator cookies are a busy baker's dream: an easy dough you can keep in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks, slicing off and making cookies as you


30 cookies

Active Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 3 1/4 hours (including chilling & cooling time)

Ingredients


1/2 cup whole-wheat pastry flour

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup packed light brown sugar

1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar

6 tablespoons cool unsalted butter, cut into chunks

1 large egg white

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preparation


1.Whisk whole-wheat pastry flour, all-purpose flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl.

2.Blend brown sugar, granulated sugar and butter in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed until combined and still a little grainy, about 5 minutes. Beat in egg white and vanilla until smooth. Turn the mixer off; add the flour mixture then beat at low speed until well combined (the dough will still be crumbly). Gather the dough into a ball using your hands.

3.Lightly dust a work surface with flour, turn the ball of dough out onto it and form into an 8-inch-long log, about 2 inches in diameter. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm, at least 2 hours or up to 2 weeks (see Tip).

4.When ready to bake, position racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven; preheat to 350°F. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.

5.Unwrap the log and slice into 1/4-inch-thick rounds, rolling the log as you slice to prevent it from flattening. Place the cookies 1 inch apart on the baking sheet. Bake, switching the pans back to front and top to bottom halfway through, until just beginning to crack along the edges, 10 to 12 minutes. Cool on the baking sheet for 2 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely, about 20 minutes.

Tips & Notes

Make Ahead Tip: Store unbaked dough, tightly wrapped, in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks; store baked cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 1 month.

While the round log of dough is chilling, it will flatten on one side, resulting in irregularly shaped cookies. To keep the log (and the cookies) round, split open a cardboard tube, such as a paper towel tube, and lay the log inside the tube before refrigerating.

Nutrition

Per cookie: 73 calories; 2 g fat (2 g sat, 0 g mono); 6 mg cholesterol; 13 g carbohydrates; 1 g protein; 1 g fiber; 32 mg sodium; 26 mg potassium.



1 1/2 Carbohydrate Serving



Exchanges: 1 1/2 other carbohydrates, 1 fat